EVENT IN THE LIFE OF VENERABLE MASTER AS A YOUTH:
When I was studying, I also had my share of trouble. At first when I learned very slowly, everyone looked down on me, saying, "We've never seen such a dullard. He can't even memorize eight lines from the Three Character Classic." Once I got the hang of it, I learned very fast. Learning fast is a good thing, but it also has its troubles. No one thought much of me when I was a slow learner, but when I became a quick learner, some people were jealous or envious. My teacher, who didn't know how to be a teacher, praised me in front of my classmates, saying, "In my fifty or sixty years of teaching, I've never had such a capable student as this. He will certainly do great things in the future." As soon as he praised me like that, the trouble came. What trouble? Girls. I think everyone understands what I mean. I don't have to explain, because everyone is an expert in this area. You didn't laugh at all while I talked for so long, but now everyone is laughing. I'm sure you all know what my girl classmate had in mind. My teacher had said I would do great things, and she wanted to see what kind of great things I could do.
When I got down from the brick bed to recite my lesson, the girl gave me a kick. I didn't know what she was up to. Even though I was sixteen, I knew nothing about romance. I didn't understand the mentality of girls. I glared at her and furiously said, "You want me to beat you up?" The girl ran away in fright, and I thought I'd gotten rid of that trouble. Guess what? She sent a matchmaker to my house to speak with my mother. The matchmaker said they didn't want anything--no money or gifts--simply my mother's agreement. My mother was overjoyed. When I returned home, she told me, "Your classmate sent a matchmaker over saying her family didn't want anything except our permission. They were willing to send their daughter over with no conditions."
"Did you agree?" I asked.
"I waited for you to come home so I could ask you," my mother replied.
"At least you had enough sense not to make the decision on your own. If you had given your agreement today, I would be leaving home tomorrow."
My mother said, "You must not leave home."
I said, "If you don't want me to leave home, then don't promise this girl anything."
"Fine," said my mother.
That's how I got rid of the trouble I encountered when I was sixteen.
When I got down from the brick bed to recite my lesson, the girl gave me a kick. I didn't know what she was up to. Even though I was sixteen, I knew nothing about romance. I didn't understand the mentality of girls. I glared at her and furiously said, "You want me to beat you up?" The girl ran away in fright, and I thought I'd gotten rid of that trouble. Guess what? She sent a matchmaker to my house to speak with my mother. The matchmaker said they didn't want anything--no money or gifts--simply my mother's agreement. My mother was overjoyed. When I returned home, she told me, "Your classmate sent a matchmaker over saying her family didn't want anything except our permission. They were willing to send their daughter over with no conditions."
"Did you agree?" I asked.
"I waited for you to come home so I could ask you," my mother replied.
"At least you had enough sense not to make the decision on your own. If you had given your agreement today, I would be leaving home tomorrow."
My mother said, "You must not leave home."
I said, "If you don't want me to leave home, then don't promise this girl anything."
"Fine," said my mother.
That's how I got rid of the trouble I encountered when I was sixteen.
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